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Re: Sit Here 2012-08-16
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:07 pm
by Dave
Wdot wrote:I don't think Phix even as mad as she was would have harmed Monica. The sphinx that Phix killed was asking for it for millenia and finally got what she ordered. Remember that's a long long time to refrain from killing somebody.
You may well be right... but it's tricky, dealing with predator species. Some of them (wolves, for example) have prey-attack responses which seem to be largely independent of their higher social natures. Trigger them, and they attack... even if you're a packmate. The same is true of some attack-trained dogs, and (as Brandi alluded) of cats... their attack reflexes can take over without warning.
Euryale certainly seemed to feel (strongly) that it was
not safe to try to interact with a sphinx who was seriously upset. I don't think that Phix would have deliberately attacked Monica... but she might have struck out thoughtlessly of Monica had said something which stirred her up beyond the point of her (fragile?) self-control.
Me, I'd just as soon tap-dance on a keg of mercury fulmanate. Wounded and upset predators really aren't safe to be around.
Re: Sit Here 2012-08-16
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:18 pm
by Boxilar
Dave wrote:Wdot wrote:I don't think Phix even as mad as she was would have harmed Monica. The sphinx that Phix killed was asking for it for millenia and finally got what she ordered. Remember that's a long long time to refrain from killing somebody.
You may well be right... but it's tricky, dealing with predator species. Some of them (wolves, for example) have prey-attack responses which seem to be largely independent of their higher social natures. Trigger them, and they attack... even if you're a packmate. The same is true of some attack-trained dogs, and (as Brandi alluded) of cats... their attack reflexes can take over without warning.
Euryale certainly seemed to feel (strongly) that it was
not safe to try to interact with a sphinx who was seriously upset. I don't think that Phix would have deliberately attacked Monica... but she might have struck out thoughtlessly of Monica had said something which stirred her up beyond the point of her (fragile?) self-control.
Me, I'd just as soon tap-dance on a keg of mercury fulmanate. Wounded and upset predators really aren't safe to be around.
And don't startle them, either. Shelly and Justin can attest to that. Cats especially can be mercurial. (cat's thoughts while being petted) "That feels good, that feels good, that feels good....FIGHT YOU!!!"